A school in Wales went into lockdown as police attended. Ebbw Fawr learning community in Ebbw Vale put in the procedure after a teenager allegedly received threatening messages.
Gwent Police said a teenage boy had been arrested on suspicion of making threats and that officers were on the premises at the school, which caters for children aged three to 16.
A teacher at the school said that everyone had been asked to stay in their classroom but that staff and pupils were calm. A message sent to parents said that the school is in "partial lockdown".
At just after 1.30pm, the school began releasing pupils to parents and said there would be no more lessons until Monday.
It comes two days after two teachers and one pupil needed hospital treatment after being injured at a secondary school in Ammanford. A teenage girl has appeared in court accused with three counts of attempted murder of two teachers and a pupil at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman.
Key Events
Update from police
Superintendent Matthew Williams, who was in charge of the policing operation, has thanked the school and parents.
He said:
This morning, we received a report that the secondary campus at Ebbw Fawr Learning Community had been placed in partial lockdown at around 10.20am after a teenage pupil had reportedly received threatening messages.
Our officers swiftly attended the site and are working with the school to ensure the safety of its learners and reassure parents.
We have arrested a teenage boy on suspicion of making threats. This arrest didn't take place on school premises and was not made in the Ebbw Vale area. We carried out a search during the arrest, and no offensive weapons were found. He remains in police custody at this time as our enquiries continue.
We understand the level of concern from parents in the area today, but I'd like to thank the public and the school for following protocol, remaining calm and relaying any concerns they had to us.
These actions allowed us to act quickly, make an arrest, safeguard pupils and reassure the community.
The school is now no longer in lockdown and parents and guardians are collecting their children.
Parents are collecting their children as school closes early for the day
The lockdown at Ebbw Fawr Learning Community has ended and parents are collecting their children, a spokesperson for Blaenau Gwent Council said. There will be no more lessons today, the school is shutting for the day, but will re-open as normal on Monday.
A teacher told WalesOnline that pupils were being released in a managed way and had to remain in their classroom until they were collected by staff members and handed over to their parents.
Police remain at the scene
Police remain at the scene and there is a large group of people waiting outside the school.
School was following 'well-established emergency procedures'
A spokesperson for Blaenau Gwent Council said: "Ebbw Fawr Learning Community’s Secondary Campus staff responded quickly and calmly to activate well-established emergency planning procedures that ensure the safety and well-being of learners and staff. The school and Local Authority has been working closely with Gwent Police to ensure the continued safety of everyone on the school site today and to reassure concerned parents."
Investigations continue
A road to the school has been closed off as investigations continue at the scene.
Parent 'confident' teachers are keeping children safe
Parent Maria Tudor said the school texted parents just before 10.30am to say the school was in partial lockdown. Because they did not give a reason she thought it was a safety drill rather than a real lockdown. She said she was "petrified" when her 14-year-old son texted to say he was locked in a classroom with his class.
"I thought it was a general procedure practice when the school texted but then my son texted me. He said they had not been told anything about why they were in lockdown. He is on the second floor locked in a classroom with his class, he is in a history class.
"I last spoke to him about 12pm and he said he was OK and they were just waiting for the all clear. I am petrified after what has happened this week.
"We don't really know what happened. I am going down to the school as soon as I can to pick him up when the lockdown ends. I am extremely worried but am confident the teachers are keeping children safe."
Police at scene to reassure parents
Police have clarified that they were called the school's secondary campus.
Gwent Police say that officers remain at the school to reassure parents and liaise with the school.
Pupils are watching documentaries and playing quiz games
Asked how he was keeping worried pupils in his class calm while locked in the classroom the teacher said: " My calm manner is helping keep the pupils safe. My class are playing interactive educational quiz games as well as watching documentary films to keep occupied. I guess other teachers also have the ' keep business as usual' demeanour. Its our job to make the pupils feel safe and secure and they reflect how we act."
Everything calm at school
A teacher at the school said staff and pupils were calm.
He said: "The teaching staff are doing a fantastic job keeping the pupils calm."
Update from police
We have had a statement from Gwent Police.
A spokesperson said: " We received a call to report that Ebbw Fawr Learning Community had been placed in partial lockdown at around 10.20am after a teenage pupil had allegedly received threatening messages.
"Our officers are in attendance. We have arrested a teenage boy on suspicion of making threats.
"The arrest did not take place on school premises and was not in the Ebbw Vale area. Our enquiries are ongoing."
'It's all social media speculation'
The teacher said there was no information yet about the cause of the lockdown
It's all social media speculation about what's happening inside the school. All we have been told is that the school has been locked but no one has been told what the cause for the lockdown is.
Teachers and pupils told to stay in classrooms
A teacher said he had been told to stay in his classroom but had been given no further information.
Emailing from his classroom he said he did not know the reason for the lockdown. Asked for the reason he emailed: "Your guess is as good as mine. We are still in our classrooms waiting for more news. "
